1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus wherein after a color separated signal outputted from image reading means is converted into an equivalent color spatial signal, this equivalent color signal is converted into a color material signal of the image output means, and more specifically to a texture image processing system for synthesizing a texture image with an image picture.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A digital copying machine is constructed by an IIT (image input terminal) for reading an original; an IPS (image processing system) for processing the read-out image data; and an IOT (image output terminal) for outputting a copy by driving, for instance, a laser printer by the image data. In the IIT, image information of an original is derived by utilizing a CCD sensor as an analog electric signal in response to reflectivity, and this analog electric signal is converted into multi-graded digital image data. Then, various corrections, conversions, editing operations and the like are performed by processing the image data obtained from the IIT in the IPS. In the IOT, a dot image is outputted by turning ON/OFF the laser light of the laser printer in accordance with the image data processed by the IPS.
In such a digital copy machine, multi-graded image data may be outputted by way of the process of the IPS, depending upon its sort. For instance, in case of characters or the like, a sharp image whose edges have been emphasized may be obtained; in case of a half tone image such as a photograph, an image whose Moire' and dots have been removed and smoothened may be outputted; and also a color image whose definition has been adjusted with high reproducibility may be produced. Furthermore, such images that various edit operations, e.g., coloring, color conversion, trimming, shifting, synthesization, compression, enlargement and the like have been performed on an original, may be outputted. In the IIT, after the original has been read out by signals separated into three primary colors R (red), G (green) and B (blue), these read signals are converted into digital signals, and then these digital signals are converted into dot images of color materials such as Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan) and K (black) which are superimposed with each other, whereby a color digital copying machine is constructed. As a consequence, in the color image processing apparatus such as color digital copying machines, the above-described color-material developers are employed, the scanning operation is repeated four times in conformity with the respective color material developing processes, and the full color image data on the read original are processed every scanning operation.
An outline of the above-described color digital copying machine will now be explained with reference to one conventional color digital copying machine as proposed by Unexamined Japanese Patent Application (Kokai) Hei-2-223275. FIG. 6 represents an example of an arrangement for the conventional color digital copying machine.
In FIG. 6, an IIT 100 reads a color original to be color-separated into three light primary colors B, G, R with employment of a CCD line sensor, and converts these colors into digital image data. An IOT 115 performs exposing and developing operations by a laser beam, thereby to reproduce a color image. Then, circuitry from an END (Equivalent Neutral Density) converting circuit 101 to an IOT interface 110 which are present between the IIT 100 and the IOT 115 constitute an edit processing system (IPS: image processing system) for image data, convert the image data of B, G, R into color materials Y, M, C and also K, and output a color material signal corresponding to a developing color every developing cycle to the IOT 115.
In the IIT 100, with respect to the respective color data of B, G, R, 1 pixel is read out in a size of 16 dots/mm by employing a CCD sensor, and then the read data are outputted as 24 bits data (3 colors.times.8 bits 256 gradations). Since the CCD sensor having an upper surface on which B, G and R filters are mounted, and also a length of 300 mm with density of 16 dots/mm, performs a scanning operation of 16 lines/mm at a process speed of 90.5 mm/sec, the readout data are outputted at a speed of approximately 15M pixels/sec with respect to each color. The, in the IIT 100, analog data about B, G, R pixels are logarithm-converted, so that information on reflectivity is converted into information on density, and furthermore into digital data.
In the IPS, the color separated signals of B, G, R from the IIT 100 are inputted, various data processes are performed so as to improve color reproducibility, gradation reproducibility and definition reproducibility; and the color material signals of the development process colors are converted into ON/OFF signals which will then be outputted into the IOT. An END conversion module 101 adjusts (converts) the B, G, R signals into gray-balanced color signals, and a color masking module 102 converts the B, G, R signals to signals corresponding to color material amounts for Y, M, C by matrix-calculating these B, G, R signals. An original size detecting module 103 performs both of an original size detection during the prescanning operation and an erasing (frame erasing) process of platen colors during the original read scanning operation. A color converting module 104 executes a color conversion of the color which has been designated at a specific region in accordance with an area signal inputted from a region image control module. Then, an UCR (Under Color Removal) & black generating module 105 generates a proper amount of K to prevent color turbidity, reduces equivalent amounts of Y, M, C to this proper amount, and also gates signals obtained by removing the K signal and the under colors of Y, M, C in accordance with the respective signals of the monocolor mode and 4-full color mode. A spatial filter 106 corresponds to a nonlinear digital filter equipped with a function to recover a blurring phenomenon and a function to remove Moire'. A TRC (Tone Reproduction Control) module 107 executes a density adjustment, a contrast adjustment, a negative/positive inversion and a color balance adjustment and the like so as to improve reproducibility. A compression/enlargement process module 108 executes a compression/enlargement process along a horizontal scanning direction, and a compression/enlargement process along a vertical scanning direction is executed by adjusting a scanning speed of an original. A screen generator 109 converts the color material signals of process color representative of multi gradation into ON/OFF signals, namely binary signals in accordance with the gradation. The binary color material signals are outputted via the IOT interface module 110 to the IOT 115. Then, a region image control module 111 includes a region generating circuit and a switch matrix, whereas an edit control module includes an area command memory 112, a color pallet video switch circuit 113, a font buffer 114 and the like and performs various edit controls.
A area image control module 111 is so constructed that 7 rectangular regions and a priority order thereof is settable in the region generating circuit, and control information on the region is set to the switch matrix, depending upon the respective regions. The control information includes: modulation select information such as the color conversion, the color mode for selecting either the mono color mode or the full color mode, the photograph or character, select information of TRC, and select information of the screen generator, which is employed so as to control the color masking module 102, the color conversion module 104, the UCR module 105, the spatial filter 106 and the TRC module 107. It should be noted that the switch matrix is settable by a software.
The edit control module reads an original which is not a rectangle, but a circular graph, and can color a designated region whose shape is not limited by a designated color, in which a 4-bit area command is written into 4 plane memories, and edit commands of the respective points of the original are set by 4-bit form by way of the 4 plane memories.
In the above-described color digital copying machine, the edit functions may be widely utilized in the various fields. For instance, a design simulation may be carried out by synthesizing (texture synthesizing) a designed image with a structural texture pattern (fine structural pattern) such as a mesh by utilizing the synthesizing function. There is one case among them that a pattern and also a picture pattern are designed and the designed patterns are applied to a cloth. Under such a circumstance, there are different atmospheres when observing a pattern and a picture pattern designed on a completely white cloth, and when observing the pattern and the picture pattern designed on a mixture with a cloth and a mesh having the same material of this cloth. In other words, when design evaluation is performed, it is apparent that the atmosphere of the latter case may conduct realistic results, rather than in the latter case. Such a texture synthesization (synthesis) may be utilized in designing of patterns and picture patterns for walls of architecture and street planes.
As previously described, the texture synthesization with employment of the structural pattern is realized in such a manner that while paying an attention to the brightness signal, the texture image is split into an AC component with respect to as a boarder line, a certain value, for instance, an average value of the texture image; and the obtained AC component is either added to the image picture, or subtracted from the image picture. However, such a process may not be realized in a process, for instance, a transparent synthesizing process, that data on two image pictures are overlapped with each other.
Thus, in accordance with the transparent synthesizing processes for synthesizing two images stored in memories, a transparent picture is formed by alternately reading the image data from the memories to synthesize these read image data with each other (for instance, Unexamined Japanese Patent Applications (Kokai) Sho-62-139081 and Sho-64-23677); and also another transparent picture is produced by obtaining a logical sum of the image data on BGR (YMC), or obtaining an average value of the image data on two BGR (YMC) every pixel.
Also, there is another system to obtain synthesized images B', G' and R' from the following equations, assuming now that color image signals are B, G, R and a texture image signal is T: ##EQU1## Also, there is a further system (for instance, referring to Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Sho-62-32773) that after the texture image is compressed at a predetermined ratio, the compressed texture image is combined, or synthesized the color image, and then the synthesized image is reversely expanded at a compression ratio.
However, in these conventional systems, the synthesized images become flat or do not represent the texture, otherwise dark. Therefore, when the above-described equations are employed, the set values M and N must be changed in response to the texture, which requires skilled art. Also, there are other problems that shifts happen to occur in hue and saturation.